Improvement in can-openers



.12.1. GPETERSEN.

Can-Upehers.

Patented .1une17, 1873.

AM. PHUT/I-UTHOGRAPH/ C C0. NX (ossa/1115's Pennisi;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES il. C. PETERSEN, OF PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN cAN-oPENE-Rs.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,072, dated June 17, 1873 application tiled May 19, 1873.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. C. PETER- SEN, of Port Chester, in the county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented an Improvement on Can-Openers, of which the following is a specification:

The instrument constructed under my invention may strictly be called a clamping can-opener, as it will enable the operator to hold and open the can by the instrument, his hands not coming in contact with the surface of the can. This feature is very available in operating on cans when heated, as in cans containing meats and other substances preferred to be warm when used. The instrument can be adjusted to cans of different sizes, and can be adapt-ed to sardine and other boxes containing tish, meats, and the like substances.

Of--the three views of the instrument shown by the drawing, Figure 1 is a view by longitudinal section 5 Fig. 2, a sectional view of a part of the instrument; and Fig. 3, a top view.

Most parts of the instrument can be made of cast-iron; for the center malleable iron will be best. The knife or cutter can be stamped out of sheet-steel.

l The body c of the instrument has cast with it two clamping hooks or projections, b, and a slotted bar, c, terminating in one part, d, of the handle. A toothed sliding bolt, e, is connected to the slotted bar c, the pin ofthe bolt traversing in the slot f, The lower or under half, g, of the handle is pivoted to the other part at h. This half of the handle terminates in a tooth, t', Between the two parts is a spring, jthe tendency of which is to keep the tooth t away from the toothed surface of the sliding bolt, and thus allow the bolt to be moved in or out. Compression of the two parts of the handle forces the tooth i into the teeth of the bolt to clamp the can. The lever k is pivoted to the block l, and the block lcentered in` the bar m, The knifen is attached to the lever k, inclined toward the disk of the ring, whereby a shear-cut is obtained. A projection, o, on the bar m, keeps the knife from coming in contact with the bar when the lever is in line with the bar. As the inner end of the bar 'm forms the rest for the lever in the center of the ring and in line with the handle, a dead-point in the lever is prevented.

Hold the opener with the left hand by the outside part of the handle; put the lever on the projection o of the bar m; drawback the sliding bolt and put the opener on top of the can; push the sliding bolt toward the can and press the two parts of the handle together and you will hold the can firmly; then take the lever from the projection with your right hand and press down on the right side of the projection, and you will penetrate the tin; then draw the lever round till you come to the left side of the projection; pull the lever upward and rest it on the projection; let go the inside part of the handle, and the operation is finished.

I claim- 1. The body a having projections b constituting the clamping-ring, in combination with the sliding bolt e and compound handle d g, constructed and operated substantially as re cited.

2. The combination of the projection 0 and lever kfor protecting the knife when pressing for elampingthe can.

This specification signed this 28th day of April, 1873.

' CHARLES J. C. PETERSEN. Witnesses:

DAVID RosENEELD, HARRY RocKwELL, M. D. 

